Golf accessory



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,817

H. w. ST. JOHN GOLF ACCESSORY Filed Sept. '7, 1928 INVENTOR. Henry M JZ/Ofi/Z BY% A'TT NEYS.

Patented Dec. 25, 1928 HENRY W. ST. JOHN, OF BRIGHTWATERS, NEW YORK.

eoLr ACCESSORY.

Application filed September-7, 1928. Serial No. 304,425.

This invention is a golf accessory and more particularly a device whereby golf balls may be retrieved from water hazards.

The Object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient construction which may be carried in a golf bag along with the clubs and may when necessity arises be removed from .thebag and utilized to retrieve a ball which falls in a water hazard, the present invention being particularly directed to novel and efficient means for mechanically grasping the ball to permit of its positive removal from the hazard and safe return tothe player.

The device of this invention comprises, generally speaking, a pair of cooperating cage sections, the open sides of which are po sitioned in juxtaposed relation to one another. These two sections are mounted on a suitable handle or rodand are spring impelled toward one another so as to normally partake of relative positions to collectively embrace and enclose a golf ball. Associated with the sections is a toggle which, when in extended condition, forces the sections sufliciently apart to permit entry ofthe ball between them, but the toggle is so organized and positioned that when the ball enters between the sections it will strike thetoggleand permit the toggle to flex and thus allow the cage sections to come together and entrap or enclose the ball to permit its inadvertent dislodgment. from the sections.

In the preferred form of the invention, the

' cage sections are made of spring wire and are mounted on a rod which is preferably formed .from collapsible or demountable sections so that when the device isnot in use it may be readily carried in a golfbag but when its use is deslred it can be removed from the bag, the rodextended and the device there-upon employed to reach a golf ballsome distance from the shore in a water hazard.

An important feature of the invention resides in its marked simplicity and'eificiency in the performance of its intended functions.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but

N an elevation of the structure Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 2,

but illustrating the cage sections separated or in relatively opened positions.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, 1' and 2 designate two cooperating cage sections, each of these sections maybe conveniently formed from wire. The wire is bent into the form of a loop 3 and the free ends bent to form stem sections 4 which are anchored within a suitable hub 5. The stem sections of both loops are passed throu h a ring 6 below which said sections are pre erably bulged outwardly as shown at 7 to determine the position of the ring 6'. To this ring are secured two bowed rods 8 while the opposite end of each of these rods is secured to the oppositeside of its corresponding loop as shown at 9. vThus the loops 3 together with the bowed rods 9 form cage sections which collectively form a cage in which a ball is adapted to be contained as indicated by the dotted lines 10 in Figure 2.

The loops 3 and their stems 4 are preferably formed of spring wire, the. inherent tendency of which is to normally maintain the ad acent open sides of the respective cage sect-ions relatively close together in order that the ball 10 contained therein cannot fall out or become inadvertently disengaged from the entrapped position in which it is shown in Figure 2.

Extending transversely across the interior of the cage section is a toggle embodying two linksll and 12 pivoted together at the elbow 13 and at their terminii 14 and 15 to the respective bowed rods 8 of the'two sections. This toggle is so arranged and proportioned that when it is distended, as shown in Figure 4, it will force the sections apart through a bending of the spring wire from which the loops 3'a-nd their stems 4 are formed, so as .to

.when forced into extended position as shown,

they will pivot slightly beyond dead centers and the link 12 is provided with an extension or stop 16 which is adapted to engage. with the base of the channel section of which the link 12 is formed and thereby constitute a positive stop against further pivotal movement in this direction. Thus, when the parts are as shown in Figure 4, the pivot 13 is in a I position slightly beyond dead centers between shown in Figure 2, but when it is desired to the pivots 14 and 15, sothat the parts will be in stable equilibrium. However, when the ball 10 enters between the cage sections as shown in Fig. 4:, the inertia of either the ball or the accessory will cause the toggle to be slightly flexed in a. downward direction and as soon as the pivot 13 passes the line of dead center the inherent resiliency of the loops 3 and stems 4 will cause the cage sections to spring together and entrap the ball as shown in Figure 2. This inherent resiliency of the cage sections is such that the ball cannot be inadvertently released, but will be positively entrapped until manually removed.

The normal condition of the parts is as retrieve a ball, the toggle is extended manually into the position of Fig. 4 and while the parts are in this condition, the deviceis placed in alinement with the ball and then given a sudden thrust forwardly. By this sudden thrust, the toggle is forced into contact with the ball and as a result the toggle is tripped and the ball entrapped as stated. In

practice, the device which I have described and which is shown in Figures 2, '3 and 4 is mounted on the end of a sufficiently long rod to enable the player to reach oht from the bank of the water hazard an appreciable distance to retrieve a ball which may have fallen therein. This rod may partake of Various forms without departing from the invention, but is preferably made collapsible.

To this end it preferaby embodies a plu-. rality of sections 17, 18 and 19. Three of these sections are shown although more or less may be employed. They may-be made to telescope into one another or may be constructed so that the end of one will movably' fit into the end of the other with a tight sliding fitor bayonet joint. -The' smallest section 17 is preferably provided in its end with a suitable socket to receive the shank .20 of the mechanical ball catcher, and the free end of the largest section 19 is beyond a fence or otherwise out of reach, the device can be quickly assembled and utilized to retrieve the ball. The structure which I have described has been found in practice to operate with high efficiency. ly remove balls which are embedded in the mud of a water hazard or among water lillies, weeds, etc, and after the ball has been engaged with the toggle and entrapped between the cage sections, it cannot possibly become inadvertently released and must be removed manually.

The advice is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and is made of sufliciently light weight and small dimensions that when in collapsed condition, it will not unduly encumber the golf bag. The drawings show the invention in its preferred practical form, but as slight changes such as the substitution of equivalents or materials may be made by those skilled in the art, it is understood that the invention is to be con strued as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invent-ion, what Iclaim .as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a golf accessory, a suitable rod, and a ball entrapping device embodying two cage sections of a size to collectively embrace and house a ball in a position wherein the ball is wholly within the confines of said sections It will efiicientsections,in substantially abutting relation, resilient shanks formed on the respective sections to mount the sections on the rod and to normally impel said sections into such edge abutting relation, and toggle mechanism connected across the interior of said sections so that when the toggle is extended the sections will be forced apart to permit entry of the ball between them, said toggle being positioned for engagement with the ball as it enters between the sections whereby impact of the ball with the toggle will cause the toggle to be flexed to release the sections and permit them to spring together under the impulse of their resilient shanks. 2. A golf accessory embodying a ball entrapping device comprising a pair of cage sections comprising loops formed from resilient wire and provided with resilient stem portions which normally tend to move the sections toward one another for the purpose of embracing a ball positioned between them, a pair of bowed membersc adapted to preclude the ball from passing laterally through the loops, each bowed member being secured at one of its ends to the outer end of one of the loops and having its other end anchored to the shank portions, a toggle connected across flexed to permit movement of the sections together in order that the ball may be trapped between them.

3. In a golf accessory, a suitable rod, in

combination with a ball entrapping device comprising two wire loops having resilient shanks secured to the rod and normally forcing the loops into substant ally face abutting relation, a ring loosely embracing the shanks of said loops between the loops and the rod, bowed members, one end of each of which is secured to said ring. While the other end of each of said members is secured to the outer portion of one of the loops, said members 20 being bowed in a direction away from one another to form with the loops cage sections adapted to collectively house a ball, and a toggle, the termini of which are secured to the bowed members intermediate their ends 25 and the elbow of which toggle is positioned in the path of a ball into position between the cage sections when the toggle is elongated to force said sections apart, the impact of the ball as it enters between the sections being adapted to collapse the toggle and permit the resilient shanks of the loops to force the cage sections together for the purpose of embracing the ball.

In testimony whereof I have. signed the foregoing specification.

HENRY W. ST. JOHN. 

